
| HIGH | 16.50 | USD | |
| MID | 0.10 | USD | TREND![]() |
| LOW | 0.01 | USD |
Goldeen swims into the competitive scene with its Festival Lead ability, offering a unique double-attack opportunity when paired with Festival Grounds.
This Water-type Basic Pokémon might seem unassuming at first glance, but its ability to potentially attack twice in one turn deserves a closer examination for TCG players looking for unexpected advantages.
Offensive rating: 4/10Goldeen's offensive capabilities center around Whirlpool, a modest 10-damage attack for two colorless energy that has a 50% chance to discard an energy from the opponent's Active Pokémon.
While the base damage is minimal, the energy disruption component adds tactical value.
When Festival Lead activates with Festival Grounds in play, Goldeen can potentially use Whirlpool twice, doubling both damage output to 20 and creating two opportunities to discard opponent's energy.
This energy removal strategy can significantly hamper opponent's setup, though the coin flip requirement introduces inconsistency.
Even with the double-attack potential, Goldeen's offensive ceiling remains relatively low compared to evolved Pokémon.
Survival rating: 3/10With just 50 HP, Goldeen is extremely fragile in the current meta where many attackers can easily reach that damage threshold.
Its Lightning weakness further compromises its staying power against increasingly common Electric-type attackers.
The single colorless retreat cost is a small positive, allowing for relatively efficient switching when needed.
Goldeen lacks any inherent defensive abilities or mechanisms to protect itself, making it vulnerable to being knocked out before it can leverage its Festival Lead ability.
Its survival relies heavily on support cards like Quick Ball for fast deployment and potential sacrificial strategy rather than lasting presence on the field.
Versatility rating: 5/10Goldeen's versatility stems primarily from its Festival Lead ability, which opens creative deck-building opportunities when paired with Festival Grounds.
This combination enables it to function as an energy disruptor that can potentially attack twice in one turn.
However, its effectiveness is severely limited by the requirement of having a specific Stadium card in play.
Goldeen can serve as a tech card in Water-focused decks or Festival Grounds-centered strategies, but it doesn't adapt well across different matchups.
Its evolution path to Seaking offers additional strategic depth, though many players may prefer using Goldeen purely for its ability rather than as an evolution stepping stone.
Speed/Setup rating: 7/10Goldeen's setup requirements represent both its greatest strength and weakness.
The Festival Lead ability demands that Festival Grounds be in play, creating a two-card dependency that reduces consistency.
However, once established, the setup enables immediate impact with double attacks.
The two colorless energy cost for Whirlpool is efficiently splashable into any deck, allowing for first-turn attacks with Twin Energy or Double Colorless Energy attachments.
The card can be quickly searched via Pokémon Communication, Evolution Incense, or Quick Ball, ensuring reasonable accessibility.
The true challenge lies in maintaining Festival Grounds against opponents who will prioritize replacing it with their own Stadium cards.
For maximum effectiveness, Goldeen should be paired with cards that support Stadium control and enhance its disruptive potential.
Festival Grounds is absolutely essential, while Stadium Nav and Peony improve consistency in accessing this key Stadium.
Energy acceleration cards help ensure Goldeen can attack quickly, while disruption supporters complement its energy removal strategy.
This Stadium card is mandatory for activating Goldeen's Festival Lead ability, allowing it to attack twice in one turn. Including multiple copies helps ensure it stays in play despite opponent's counter-stadiums.
Evolving into Seaking creates a stronger attacker while maintaining the Festival Lead synergy if needed. Seaking typically offers better attacks with more damage output, giving the deck an evolution path to increased power.
Provides both energy required for Whirlpool in a single attachment, enabling first-turn attacks and quick recovery after being knocked out. This acceleration is crucial for maximizing Goldeen's disruptive potential before it gets removed.
Goldeen presents an intriguing package centered around its Festival Lead ability, offering disruption through potential double attacks when paired with Festival Grounds.
While its low HP and modest damage output limit its standalone power, clever deck builders can leverage its energy removal capabilities to create meaningful tempo advantages.
Its greatest strengths are the low setup cost and the ability to attack twice, potentially removing two energy cards in a single turn.
To maximize Goldeen's effectiveness, focus on establishing and protecting Festival Grounds while using energy acceleration to ensure quick attacks.
This card shines best in Water-type decks that already incorporate Stadium control elements, where it can serve as a surprisingly effective early-game disruptor that opponents might underestimate.
Though not a cornerstone card for top-tier competitive play, Goldeen offers unique strategic options for players looking to exploit the Festival Grounds mechanic.
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